Chronicles of the Fallen
by Klogedi
Summary: Klo Gedi, a young Jedi is training at a Jedi Temple on the planet of Ilum. Before the Sith existed, the Jedi were strict and disciplined. The future of the Sith, however, would be led by the fallen.


**Star Wars**

**Chronicles of the Fallen**

Before Exar Kun… Before Freedon Nad… Before Naga Sadow

The shadowy cult known as the sith had appeared for the first time. Delving into the Darkside's deep red waters,its devoted followers sought power in its depths. The Jedi rejected the followers of the Sith cult. Their connection to the force lay in the power of hate and passion. The teachings of the Sith had gone against the Jedi's teachings, preparing them for bitter conflicts in the future. Although, the Sith were not warriors, they would soon be joined by the future of the Sith; the fallen.

**Prologue**

The stars were gleaming in the night sky and dancing their ballet of light. Klo Gedi lay in the grass and watched the stars. They intrigued him, brought hope to him that Ilum was not the only planet in the galaxy. With his training as a Jedi, he had not much time to travel. He was to be a Jedi, a protector of life forms and a conductor of the force.

He could here it speaking to him, through each piece of life in his body. The tingling sensation he felt when he came to the sacred crystal caves allowed him to hear the will of life itself. The force connected everything. The subtle beat of the wings of a mynock could change the course of the future for an individual, or a civilization. Klo had been, for so long, enlightened by the force, by its mystic ways. It glowed within him and bended to his will, as if it wanted to. His fellow padawans could see and sense the glow within him. Every step he took resulted in the purification of the ground beneath his feet. The Jedi masters respected him deeply and were awaiting his trials with great anticipation. He was skilled in the ways of the force. Never had the Jedi seen such a great power in one such individual, not on such mass populated planets.

Klo was aware of the Sith menace that loomed upon the Jedi. He could feel it, the tear in the force, through the thickness of the shroud which veiled their vision. Its girth growing as his training progressed and he followed it closely, measuring its length through the days.

Klo reminisced of his past. He remembered the day when his parents gave him to the Jedi. They were poor and could not afford to keep him. He knew in his heart that they loved him but knew he could not face them again. The Jedi Forbid such attachments. The though of never seeing them again angered him and made him resent the Jedi for their wayward, forbidden things. He did love it though. The presence of so many force bound users, to feel it all around him. It enveloped him and made him comfortable, made him feel at peace.

The Jedi had sensed his gift with the force when he was but not more than two years old. His parents were also quite talented and were adept in the force. Untrained, it was nothing more than an echo in the quietest of times and trained, it was a deadly asset to one's skills.

Klo snapped back to the present and sat up from his quiet place in the hills, adorning the night sky as he headed back to the temple, and the force following him.

**Chapter 1**

Klo sat in his study room, reading books from the library; the contents on many great warriors of the past. The ancient stone walls surrounded his in-depth thought and housed his images of imagination, of the great battles of old.

In two hours, he was to be in the sparring room for his final trial. It was the ultimate chapter of his training that would determine whether he became a Jedi, or a moisture farmer on a barren world. Most Jedi who failed their trials were sent to do physical labor on remote worlds. Obscure was the punishment, he thought. He had heard that the trials were quite difficult to accomplish. He felt no tension in his body. His confidence bounded him. His connection to the force would guide him through the trials with ease. He could see it, clearly, in the clouds of the future.

His skill with the lightsaber was truly unbridled. It was considered an art form to watch others battle and spar with each other. Truly unique was he in the ways of the saber. He was more than a match for many of the Jedi Masters that sat in the council and they knew this to be true. He was ready for the trials that lay ahead. He would accomplish them and become a Jedi Knight.

He closed the book and sighed. The room was quiet and peaceful. He rose from his chair and returned the book to its home with the rest of the ancient tales of old Jedi. The door opened and a human, young female Jedi stepped in, nodding him a greeting. He smiled and returned the gesture.

"I see you are in your own world again." she accused. It was none other than his friend, Riusus Han. She was quite talented herself. He and she had been good friends since the day they arrived at the temple all those long years ago. "Which story is it this time?"

"Heh," he replied, "just another great battle of the past." Klo smiled and laughed. He and she hugged their welcome. She had just returned from a mission on Dantooine and had been gone for months. "It's good to see you again. I hope all went well with those mercenaries on that grassland?"

"After some lightsaber-enhanced persuasion, they saw things in my light." she laughed. Mercenaries have been abundant as of late and have been harassing locals on many outer-rim planets, far from federal intervention. The Jedi had been helping many planets with their scum problems. Some wealthy crook was most likely hiring mercs to do dirty work, although, there was something strange about them. Something was disturbing the force and widening the tear in its fabrics. He could sense it so, but the recent Sith menace was clouding the visions of the Jedi. The true culprit would reveal themselves soon enough and he would be there to destroy them.

"What's wrong? You seem troubled." Riusus put her hand on Klo's shoulder and looked into his eyes.

"Do you not sense it? The tear in the force is becoming wider. It echo's in my mind day and night." Klo sat down on the chair in the library and rested against its back. Riusus sat down beside him and sighed.

"Yes," she said, "I too have felt it. It is quite subtle and one has to listen closely." She leaned back on her chair and they sat within the warm room contemplating as to what the future held. Though, it was of no use. The Darkside loomed over their visions like a thick fog. It was nearly impossible to see beyond it.

"Well, I believe you have a previous engagement to attend my friend. I will take my leave so you may prepare yourself."

Klo nodded his goodbye to his childhood friend. Her dark, earthy cloak flowed as she left the room. Klo meditated for the remaining time he had before his trials would begin.

The meditation left him in a deep realm of concentration. He felt the power of the force through his body. It encircled him and revolved around his mind. He steadied his hands and calmed his mind.

"Do you think he is ready Master Saeus?"

Saeus stood up from his seat in the empty council chamber. Gedi was his padawan and was to deliver him to his trials in moments.

"Yes, I truly believe he is ready for the trials." Saeus replied.

"Much defiance I have sensed in him throughout the years." Master Kera stated. He paced the room, absorbed in his thoughts of the future; his green, falleen skin slightly changing shade as he spoke.

"Defiance will disappear with time. During my teachings with him do I truly believe that I can no longer guide him. He has surpassed me and most of the masters here I would think. Never have I seen such a great power within a sentient being."

"I think you overestimate his power Master Saeus." Kera stopped in his tracks and connected his vision with Saeus.

"I think it is you who underestimate him my friend. Are you blind? Can you not sense his incredible bond with the force? It longs to be with him and obeys his will. True, however, has he been defiant at some times. It will pass and I believe he will surpass the trials with ease." Saeus headed towards the door.

"I just hope you are right."

Saeus turned and nodded at Kera. He left the council chambers and arrived at Klo's dormitory. He stood at the door, wondering if he would be wrong. What if he had overestimated the powers of the young Jedi? No, he could not have. He was sure of it. His connection with the force was unparalleled.

He stepped in front of the door and it opened for him. He stepped into the quiet dormitory. The young Jedi was meditating on his bed.

"Unsure of my potential, are you?" Klo spoke and Saeus gulped. He realized that he was actually frightened of what Klo thought of him. He calmed himself and replied.

"No my friend, I have no doubt in my mind that you will overcome these trials with ease." Saeus replied.

Klo opened his eyes and smiled at his master, his friend. He left his realm of the force and stood from his seat on his bed. Master Saeus and Riusus were two of the few humans at the Jedi academy. Although, Klo did have many alien comrades, he related best with his own species.

"I am ready, Master. You will always be my mentor, my friend. Your guidance has made me what I am today."

Saeus smiled. The young Jedi was sincere and he was grateful for his words for he too, looked up to the young Jedi. He approached Klo and put his hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you for your kind words my young padawan. The day is ending and your journey in the paths of the Jedi is just beginning." Saeus nodded at Klo and he returned the assurance, "You are meant for great things. I sensed it in you when we first met and I sense it in you know." Saeus guided Klo to the door of his room.

Klo was ready to face the trials. He would be a Jedi and serve the force. Klo adorned his padawan cloak. Simple, plain, and unassuming were the garments of young Jedi. Only when they proved themselves, would they be awarded cloth woven from force sensitive plants.

"You'll do fine my friend."

"Thank you." Klo and his Master walked the large, echoing halls of the Jedi temple, greeting young Jedi as they passed by. They arrived at the doors to the inner chambers of the Jedi High Council. Young padawans gathered near the entrance of the council chamber in eager anticipation of the trials of Klo Gedi. Many Jedi Temples did not allow the viewing of trials. This was the exception as Klo approved. Many Masters felt that it helped young Jedi learn and grow from the experience of others. He did not mind other younglings learn from watching the trials. He enjoyed the company of the younglings. So young and barely able to remember their parents. Sad in a way, he thought; talented they were but taken from their parents so young.

The large doors guarding the entrance to the council chambers began to open and Klo leapt back to the present. The doors revealed the rounded chamber of the Jedi Masters who awaited him. He and Saeus stepped into the room and greeted the seated Jedi Masters.

"Welcome Master Saeus." Kera announced. He motioned for Klo to step forward.

Klo stood in front of his master and at the center of the council. They surrounded him, pondered about him and criticized him. He sensed their judgments.

"We have sensed great potential in you since you arrived all those years ago."

"Great things have come to be expected of you young padawan."

"Talented are you in the ways of the force."

Klo listened to the speaking of the high council members. He was ready for their trials.

"The time has come Klo Gedi. You are to complete these trials and with our approval, proceed to the rank of Jedi Knight." Kera spoke and stood from his council seat, "Proceed with me young Jedi."

Saeus patted Klo's shoulder and took his leave from the council chambers. Klo followed the old Jedi Master, Kera to a room just behind the council chairs. It was large and round, very reminiscent of the council chambers. In the middle stood one chair partnered with one table. Klo stood in the center and readied himself, mentally. Kera had returned very shortly with a datapad in hand.

"This is your written portion of the test young padawan." said Kera, "This will test you on Wisdom and Intelligence."

Klo sat in the lone chair and pulled himself up to the table.

"Answer as you see fit and the council shall review your responses."

Kera left the room and Klo was alone. On the table was the small datapad, staring up at him. Klo began the test and answered the questions of the Jedi Council.

**Chapter 2**

Many hours went by as Klo continued the test. The last question was finally answered and Klo sat back, relieved. Kera entered the room upon Klo's completion of the test.

"I will take the datapad to be reviewed by the council and you will be informed of their decision. Your answers will be given the full respect of the council and will be reviewed thoroughly." Kera took the small datapad in hand and escorted Klo to another fairly large, rounded room; very similar to the one he had written he tests in.

Kera left the room and Klo prepared himself for the challenge ahead. The test of skill he believed it was. During his stay at the academy, he had observed many trials of skill.

The room rumbled silently and faintly as the walls further to the top of the room opened to reveal the seated members of the council peering at him from above.

"This is your test of skill and you connection to the force, padawan." Kera had spoken to him from his seat at the top of the room, "Should you pass this and your response portion, you will be awarded the rank of Jedi Knight and the privilege of building your own lightsaber."

Klo nodded and bowed to the council. He was at their mercy and was mentally preparing himself for his battle.

The door where he had entered the opposing room, slid open from the ground up. Jedi Master Jeid stepped into the room. The aqua-skinned Twi'lek removed her saber from her belt and held it firmly. Klo knew of her skill in saber combat. She was highly regarded for her unique style.

"Master Jeid is your first challenger, padawan. From your battle shall we determine skill and your connection to the force."

He and Master Jeid turned down the intensity of their lightsaber blades so as not to seriously injure one another. They bowed to one another as a sign of respect between them. Jeid ignited her Viridian-green saber and took her stance. Klo removed his lightsaber from his belt. It was a simple, generic saber, one to tide him over until he completed his trials.

The button clicked and the silvery-blue blade ignited and crackled, burning the air as it erupted from the simplistic hilt. Klo extended his palm outward and the saber behind his back; his unique stance which he adopted.

Jeid nodded and Klo returned the greeting. Klo saw it before it happened, her opening attack was predictable and she did not execute it well. Klo's saber easily deflected her attack and sent her a few steps back. She readied herself again and it was Klo who surprised her with a perfectly balanced attack. She widened her eyes and Klo sent the saber around his back and came overhead. She stepped back and blocked his surprisingly strong attack.

They were now past their small talk and in full blown battle. Time crawled to a slow and the Jedi Masters watched the young Jedi dominate his opponent with incredible grace and stature. The blades of the Jedi danced and displayed a fantastic display of light. They exchanged parries and blows with one another in the intricate quintessence of a battle of the force.

Klo saw it in her eyes, she was beginning to tire. After a few short minutes, of what seemed like an eternity, the fight was becoming one sided.

Kill her…

"What? No!"

The final blow came. She launched herself off of the ground and flipped herself behind Klo. The counter-attack was too fast. She had pierced his defense. Jeid's lightsaber struck his midsection and he toppled to the ground in front of her.

The Jedi Masters sat in their council chairs, stunned. They sat quiet for the moment and Kera rose from his seat. Klo stood up and looked up at him.

"I have failed." Klo bowed and took his leave.

The fight was over and Jeid stood still breathing heavily. Klo's footsteps echoed as he left the room

The force went with him…

Saeus awaited the council to return from Klo's trials. He was pacing the quiet council chamber in anticipation. He knew Klo could triumph. His skills were unmatched on this planet and, possible, many others. He continued to pace when the sparring room door slid open and Klo emerged. He had his hood over his head and walked past Saeus without any comment. Something was wrong. He could sense the conflict within him.

"Klo? Klo, what happened?" Saeus took a step in front of Klo and he looked up. He was obviously upset.

"I need to be alone for now. I am sorry; I failed your teachings master." Klo left the council chambers and went back to his dormitories. He past many padawans who said nothing. Not a breath from them as he strode past them in utter silence. The whole temple seemed quiet as if no one existed there anymore.

Klo entered his dormitory and sat on his bed. He had failed and there was nothing he could do about it. It was over and he had failed. How could this happen? Something had spoken to him but he did not know who or what the strange entity was. He saw it in the back of his mind, the evil, malevolent face pierce the fabric of the force and fill his head with darkness for less than a mere second. It was painful and caused him to lower his defenses against his opponent. However skilled she was, he knew he could have beaten her but that face terrified him. It was sinister and filled with hatred and pain.

He felt it know. He knew what the Darkside felt like. The pain and hunger-lust for power. It felt good to hold that power if even for a second.

"No…" he said aloud. He could not let that darkness pierce his mind. He was a Jedi, a protector, not a killer. Now, his dream of being a Jedi may be gone. What did he have left? His dreams had been shattered by that frightful moment. He still had to attend the councils hearing. He was at their mercy and they decided whether or not he would be a Jedi. The thought of leaving his fate in the hands of others angered him. He wanted to forge his own path and develop himself in the ways of the force.

He had heard many stories of the Jedi High Council disconnecting Jedi who failed their training from the force. It was cruel to have such a gift and then suddenly, it is taken away; to become deaf to the galaxy. What was is a Jedi without the force? Without the force, Jedi are nothing more than common civilians. Tragic it was that they relied so much on something.

He could sense Saeus nearby. Most likely, he was looking for something to say to Klo. He had to find a way to redeem himself. He would have to explain the terror to the council and be ridiculed for thoughts of the Darkside.

Saeus stood outside Klo's door. He didn't know what to say to him. It was obvious that there was something interfering with the situation. Something had intervened. Klo had dominated Master Jeid and had made no mistakes. He had said something before Jeid struck him. He decided that it would be best to discuss the matter with Klo before he did anything else.

Saeus opened the door to Klo's room and stepped inside. He was lying on his bed staring at the ceiling.

"Klo? I wish to speak with you." said Saeus. He was standing beside Klo's bed waiting for a rejection. Klo sat up and looked him in the eyes.

"What am I going to do?" Klo was sitting on the edge of his bed looking at the floor. Saeus sat beside him and leveled with him.

"I heard you speak out before it happened. What happened?" The old master stared into Klo's eyes looking for an answer.

"I don't know what happened. I saw something, something evil. It was drenched and tainted with the Darkside. It was a dark voice calling to me. It told me to kill Master Jeid. I stopped for fear that I would do something and that is when she defeated me." Saeus sat there for a while and absorbed Klo's words. Whatever this strange occurrence did, there was something else behind it. "Do you not sense it Master? The tear in the force that has been blinding our vision has widened."

Saeus had realized it. He could not see it and nor could the other Jedi Masters. Not even the High Council realized what was happening to their vision.

"Now that you mention it, I too sense it. It is hard to see. Only with a quiet mind could I see it. Not even my meditation had revealed it to me."

Klo stood from his bed and walked to the other side of the room. He turned to Master Saeus. "I have been following it for quite some time now. Never before has the Darkside grown this big. I fear that this aluminous Sith Cult is behind this. They follow the Darkside and are sabotaging our vision."

Saeus had heard of this Sith Cult brewing on the outer-rim planets. He had not even thought of it as a threat. It was so miniscule and unimportant. There had to be someone else involved with this. No petty followers could blind the vision of the Jedi as a collective. Although, they would have reasons to hide their presence.

"I am fully aware of the consequences of my failure master." Klo turned to the wall and sighed.

"The Jedi are aware of the interference, Klo. They will understand. It is clear that you would have passed." Saeus stood and turned Klo around. "Everything will work out my friend. You will be a Jedi. It is your destiny and there is no denying it. Not even the council could say otherwise."

Klo nodded. Saeus could sense that he wished to be alone.

"I will return when the council is ready to see you." Saeus waited for a response from Klo but knew he would get none. The young Jedi was torn up inside and needed time to heal. He left the small dormitory and went to the library to dig for some information on this so called "Sith Cult". Saeus wanted to discover who had contacted Klo and why. The time to uncover the true nature of the Sith was coming.

**Chapter 3**

"So, you have returned." A dark figure was kneeling in the centre of the dark room. Shrouded in a raven cloak, he peered through his hood with fiery red eyes. He was in deep meditation.

"Yes master. The mercenaries are doing their jobs and have brought us many disciples. We will soon be in power and not the Jedi. The Sith shall triumph!"

The dark figure stood from his kneeling position and faced the young apprentice. "Do not underestimate the Jedi. They are more than a match for us until we gather our strength. Only then shall we defeat them."

The apprentice bowed to his master.

"What shall I do know, master?" The apprentice awaited his master's command.

"We shall wait in the meantime. I have many plans and must gather my thoughts. Leave me." The apprentice bowed and left his master's dark room. His master was going to give rise to the Sith and defeat the Jedi. Their light would no longer penetrate the darkness that would come. The Darkside would conquer and rule the galaxy.

"We must consider the circumstances." The Jedi Masters sat in the council chambers to discuss the matter of Klo Gedi's trials.

"It is obvious that there has been intervention."

Master Jeid sat up from her position in the council chambers. She walked to the centre to speak to her fellow members. "This is a matter which must be heavily weighed. Never have we had such a talented individual. He could have beaten me, quite easily I imagine. I believe there is a reason for his failure and we should give him the chance to explain it. I sensed something when we fought. Something frightened him and caused him to falter his defenses."

The masters spoke silently to one another.

"Thank you for your consideration Master Jeid. We will take your words into perspective." Kera spoke as he sat in his chair, "Summon young Klo Gedi. We must speak with him."

A droid stepped into the light. It was a simple protocol droid that obeyed the commands of the Jedi Masters. It stepped over to Master Kera and he instructed it to retrieve Klo.

"Yes, Master Kera. I shall retrieve the padawan at once." Its mechanic voice echoed through the halls of the temple.

Klo had been reading to get his mind off of the day. He was stressed and not at liberty to enjoy himself. He was reading through some ancient manuscripts when the familiar hum of a droid came closer. He shut the book and watched the door open to the ridiculous protocol droid which the Jedi used for simple tasks.

"Padawan, Klo Gedi." it stated, "You are to see the Jedi Masters immediately in the council chambers." It stood there a moment then decided to wander the halls until it received a command.

Klo didn't like the idea of speaking to anyone at this point in time but knew the Masters became impatient rather quickly. He got out of his chair and returned his book to the library shelves. As he passed one of the shelves, he spotted Saeus at a table, studying an unknown book. He knew it was probably related to Klo in some way. He would see him soon nevertheless.

Klo arrived at the doors of the Jedi council and entered. He approached the seated Jedi Masters and stood in the center of the room. They peered at him, through his mind and his thoughts. The older ones stroked their beards and contemplated Klo's predicament.

"It seems you have stirred quite a debate in the council today young padawan." Kera said to Klo, "Your response portion of the test was remarkably done young one."

Klo was comforted at least that he had done well in the response section. It was long, too long and hard to bear. He had gone over hundreds of situations and responded to each one on what he would do to solve it. Often did the Jedi solve little dilemmas between civilians wherever the opportunity presented itself. Klo refocused his attention to the Jedi Masters.

"What would you have me do, my masters?" Klo gave himself to the will of the council. If he was to be sent away as a result of his failure, then that is what he would accept.

"We know something happened during that battle, Klo. You are an exceptional student unlike any other we've known." Kera announced. He looked into Klo's eyes.

Klo bowed to him. He was grateful for his kind words. He sensed something though, something hidden within his words. He had a feeling that the situation would become far more complicated.

"Would you like to explain what happened? Perhaps we may help you with your problem."

Klo nodded and began to explain the vision of darkness and its dark words. He told them of how he became frightened that he would hurt Master Jeid and therefore, discontinued the fight.

"That is what happened. As far as who or what the face was, it was not one I could recognize." Klo stood in his position and slowly shuffled his feet on the floor.

"I see. That will be all padawan. We must discuss this in private. We will contact you in the morning with our decision." said Kera. He knew that Klo was very well aware that he could be kicked out of the academy.

Klo bowed to his superiors and left the chambers in silence. He became worried and upset.

Saeus was searching the Jedi Archives for any information about the Sith. He had learned that they were people adept in the force on the distant world of Korriban. It was home to small packets of people and yielded no real production for the republic. No one had noticed anything about the simple planet. It was not civilized with modern technology, nor was it capable of becoming anything other than a wasteland.

Saeus rifled through the book in hopes of past confrontation with these Sith Cultists.

"You won't find anything of the Sith cult inside those books." Saeus jumped slightly. He had been absorbed inside the book until Klo's voice snapped him back to reality.

Klo sat down beside him with a book in hand. He set it on the table and opened it. "The Sith have not been documented that far back. They are, in their essence, the common peoples of Korriban."

"I see you have been doing your research as well. You are becoming more knowledgeable than I." Saeus chuckled. He and Klo laughed for a moment. It was good to laugh again. Klo had been unable to express any emotion since that long day ago.

"The face I saw, it was of a species that I did not recognize. I am going to try and find a match in this file. I hope something turns up. It might give us a clue as to where this sinister being is located."

Saeus sat still for a minute. He stared at Klo, horrified to think that such a talented student could be cast from the force within a matter of days. Furthermore, he was his student, and a brother to him.

Klo turned and looked at Saeus. The frustration and sadness poured onto Saeus and he felt the sadness and isolation which Klo felt. Klo turned back towards his book, a tear rolling down the page, rippling the ink as it glided down. Saeus put his hand on Klo's back to comfort him.

"Do not worry my friend, everything will turn out alright, I will promise you that." Klo turned to Saeus and he embraced him. Klo rid himself of his bottled emotions and wept. Saeus sat with Klo for what was left of the day.

**Chapter 4**

The day had begun and Klo's appointment with the council was near. Klo had speculated the worst and lay awake in his bed, sleep not touching him. Saeus was wandering the halls; most likely unable to sleep as well.

The recognizable 'tap' came nearer to the door of Klo's chamber. The inept droid of the council clumsily stepped through Klo's door, hitting its shoulders on the walls as it fumbled its way in.

"The council wishes to see you, padawan." Klo rolled his eyes at the droid as it turned on its stupid way out to carry out other pointless tasks.

Saeus had entered the room after the droid.

"I will accompany you if you wish me too."

Klo thought that having him as support may be a big help.

"I would be honored." Klo replied.

The walk to the council chambers took an eternity. Klo had never been so uptight in his life at the academy. Not even his trials sent the cold shivers up his spine that he felt now. Saeus snuck quick looks at Klo's face as they walked. Klo was expressionless. His face was centered on the path ahead, nothing more, and nothing less.

"Are you feeling alright?" Saeus said quietly to Klo.

Klo sighed, "I'm alright, master."

They continued their walk down the carpeted pathway when they arrived at the doors of the council chambers. Klo cleared his mind of his troubles and stepped through the doors of the council. The Jedi Masters sat in their chairs and watched the young padawan step into their view.

Klo hands were trembling slightly and the masters noticed it right away. No matter how hard he tried, he could not stop shaking nor could he hide his feelings. They sensed the conflict within him.

"Welcome, young padawan." Kera spoke on behalf of the council. They all gave a slight nod to Klo.

Saeus stood beside his student, unsteady and nervous. The room shook as Klo bowed his head and waited for the council's decision.

"We have reviewed your predicament and have come to a unanimous decision." A Jedi Master spoke as he sat within the ring of council members.

They surrounded Klo and made him feel cornered and boxed in. He was beginning to feel threatened by them, annoyed even. Something about the way they stared made him want to scream at them. He began to breathe heavily and his eyes searched the room continuously, unable to control himself he began to sweat.

Master Kera stood up and he put his hands together and sighed…

"Yes, I can sense the padawan's fear." The Sith Lord stood in his cursed room, watching and amusing himself of the young Jedi's predicament. This would surely lure him closer, he thought.

The Sith Master knelt in his deep concentration. He had blinded the Jedi to many of the Sith's activities in the past few years. Even the gathering of followers had not alerted the Jedi. They were amassing an army to defeat the Jedi. The light side was weak and ignorant.

"These Jedi are blind, master. They couldn't sense us if even we were in their presence." The Sith padawan stood behind his master.

"Quiet! We will see what becomes of this Jedi." The Dark Master stood from his position. He could see the council chambers clearly in his mental vision. He turned to his apprentice and his dark eyes pierced him.

"He will soon follow our ways."

Klo stood, unable to take his eyes from Kera. The falleen Jedi stood silent for a moment and Klo wanted to shake the answer from him.

"You have been touched by the Dark Side, padawan." Kera said. He sighed once again and sat down slowly, "That is something that we cannot risk being present within our academy."

Klo gulped. Something was happening; they were going to do something to him, he wanted to run.

"The Dark Side has tainted you young one. We are sorry, but we have no choice." A random master spoke.

Klo did not care anymore. He was in shock, being held up by Saeus' arms. He was breathing heavily.

"We have no choice but to disconnect you from the force, forever."

These words pounded into Klo's heart and he knelt on the ground, unable to move. He could have never expected this from his mentors; the people that stole him away from his parents only to betray him in the end of it all.

"Wait masters! Surely you cannot do this!" Saeus pleaded for Klo. They were brothers, and brothers never fell behind one another.

"We have no choice Master Saeus. Please remove yourself from these chambers!" Kera replied.

"No! You cannot do this! I won't let you!" Saeus stood in front of Klo, guarding him and protecting him from them.

"Saeus! You will leave, NOW!" Kera stood from his seat and ordered the guards to remove Saeus.

"I will not let you do this. He deserves better!" Saeus commanded.

Saeus activated his lightsaber but the guards were too many in number. They subdued the panicked Jedi Master and dragged him out of the room. Klo, still knelt upon the ground, looked at Saeus as he passed out beside him.

The Jedi Masters began to bow their heads, chanting in a strange language. Klo could feel it, the force beginning to leave him.

"No! Come back!" Klo was unable to move. These Jedi were ripping him from the force with fierceness, tearing the ties and making him blind to the galaxy. He could not allow it, not after all he worked for.

With the last of his energy, he stood from the ground, struggling to stand. The Jedi Masters began to chant louder. From that moment, the commandments of the young Jedi breathed the force, its pure power back into his body. His eyes contained the deepest of hate for these Jedi fools. His breathing intensified and electrical light surrounded his body.

The Jedi Masters had stopped and they were staring at the phenomenon in the middle of the room. His fists clenched and turned white, crackling with pure power from the force which he commanded.

"What! How could he resist!" Kera stood back and the rest of the Jedi masters began to reach for their lightsabers for fear of the young Jedi.

"I am no longer your puppet!" Klo commanded, his teeth sparking with electricity, "You will pay for your treachery!" He was no longer speaking, commanded by pure hatred.

"Klo! Stop this!" Kera replied but no words could enter the young Jedi. Kera leapt from where he stood unsheathing his lightsaber and preparing to strike the Klo. He was thrown back into the wall, cracking his broken figure into a permanent sketch into the now, precariously standing walls.

The lightning of the force conducted through his body, striking the walls all around him. The Masters began to flee, cowering away from the padawan as he stood in a whirlwind of hate and pure power of the force. The docking bay computers began to burst and explode. Citizens of the temple began to flee in terror as the locking mechanisms on their doors began to burst and electrify everything around them.

The room continued to rumble and started to give way to the crippling power beneath it. Saeus opened his eyes to see the roof crackle, then collapse upon those who had not fled the room. The council chambers were obliterated and crushed. The Jedi Masters all incapacitated underneath the rubble. Saeus began to stand up when he saw him. The rubble was making its path and hitting the walls for the enraged padawan, being thrown as if it were paper. Saeus saw the pure power coursing around him as he walked.

"Klo! Wait!" Saeus yelled.

Klo stood still and turned to Saeus, with the glint of vengeance in his eyes.

"They betrayed me, and they will pay for it." Klo replied, no longer with the feeling of helplessness but the taste of evil and the passion for hate. In one moment of foolishness, the Jedi had doomed themselves and were going to pay for what they did. Klo would wipe them out and make them suffer as he did. With the force at his command, he would ensure their destruction.

Riusus stood in Klo's path, her eyes, stained by tears. She sensed the conflict, hate and sadness within him. His mind was tortured and twisted. What had they done to him? She had never been so terrified. She was afraid to move. She was afraid to speak.

"Klo! Please stop!" she pleaded. He could not hear her. He could not hear anything except for his thoughts, his thoughts of anger.

Klo stopped in his tracks and looked at her. His eyes no longer held the resentment but the sadness of so much pain, the pain of a family turning their backs upon one another. The fierceness of the force than once crackled in his palm dissipated. She embraced him and he held her. She could read his thoughts. The Jedi? What had they done!

"You know now that I cannot stay, for my path is of my own, and the Jedi are forever lost to me." He whispered to her. She began to cry. She did not want to let him go. She began to feel the love that was forbidden to her by these fools.

When she had first met him, she was already an initiate. She could sense his gift with the force. She knew he would shape the future someday and the Jedi had ruined his life. They had condemned him for nothing of his fault.

Klo had pried Riusus from him. She was in tears and sobbing. Nothing did he want more than to hold her and to release his pain. But he knew that the Jedi would soon be after him and he did not want to hurt anyone else at the moment.

With that, Saeus watched his friend, his brother disappear out into the dark fields of Ilum, with the force following him.

**Chapter 5**

"Those fools." Saeus muttered under his breath. Saeus had been appalled by the Jedi's actions. They had condemned a young man's life for something so trivial. In one moment they had ruined Klo's life and theirs. For now, Klo would surely be vengeful.

The academy was in disarray. The students were all arriving at the council chambers to investigate the disturbance.

Kera crawled out of the rubble and a few of the recovered Jedi Masters.

"This cannot be." Kera was helped up by some of the students observing the calamity. Saeus was standing looking down at the Jedi Masters. He turned his back to them and left. They had lost a pure being of the force as a result of their harsh judgments upon others. They did not have the strength to judge their selves, but were beginning to see the error of their ways.

The night engulfed the land in silence and the wind crept along the ground, brushing the grass as it trailed by. The moons were now in the sky, full and red. The Jedi were in chaos and, what was left of the council, called a meeting into action.

Saeus sat in Klo's room, his head in his hands. He did not know what to do. His padawan was alone somewhere, probably off of the planet by now.

Riusus entered where Saeus had been sitting. The room was dark and empty. The presence of life in that room was now only of them. She sat down beside him and wrapped her arm around his shoulder.

"There was nothing we could do, master." She tried to comfort him but she knew how close they were. They were inseparable since they had been paired by the council those long years ago.

"I am a fool, for now I see it, what he meant all these years." Saeus was staring at the ceiling, holding Riusus' hand.

"Master? What do you mean?" She was confused and sensed nothing but the events that had just taken place.

"That tear, the subtle gap in the force." He looked at the ground, taking his hand away from her. "I am a fool! How could I not see it? How could they not see it?" He grabbed his head and began to shake. Riusus held him close. The master Jedi was in obviously in pain and delusional. She had decided that meditation would be the best way to see this gap in the force.

"Master, perhaps you should rest now. We will deal with this in the morning." He let go of his bowed head and looked at her.

"You are right. Rest is what I need. Forever will I dream of these events, in a dark nightmare." He lay on the bed, shivering. She covered him with blankets. He was already in a deep sleep, unaware that she had left to room.

Riusus was deeply troubled by the ailed Jedi Master. He had been muttering in his sleep. Something about this tear troubled her. She had always seen the force as one unified fabric. No imperfections could be seen. She went to the meditation chambers. They were deathly silent and one could hear the blood coursing through their veins. She sat on the floor, preparing her mind for deep meditation.

Klo stood amongst a crowd of people. His journey had taken him to the densely populated planet of Onderon. He had felt a deep and dark presence lurking in the vicinity and had felt many eyes observing him ever since he had arrived. He was deeply troubled from the events of the past few days. The incident with the Jedi Masters marked his last days as a Jedi and the beginning of an outcast.

"Greetings master Jedi." Klo turned around to see an elderly woman bowing to him.

"I am sorry, but I am no Jedi" Klo replied. He knew it to be true. After his actions, never again would he set foot inside a Jedi Temple.

"Heh, your Lightsaber says otherwise!" she replied, laughing, a deep wheezing sound emanating from her throat. "Come with me, I will give you shelter. I know you are alone and lost, searching for something unknown to you."

Klo was amused; the woman had a keen sense of judgment, noticeably aided by the force. Klo followed the elderly woman to her small home in the city. He could possibly get some information out of her.

The day was hot and humid. The city was filled with people, attending to their own business. Klo wore a cloak, and it became very hot during the day.

The house finally came as he followed the old woman. He had been traveling as a refugee so as not to attract the attention of the Jedi. The message was probably out by now to the other Jedi Temples. The High Council on Coruscant was probably on alert of him as well. He had to be careful so as not to run into any lurking Jedi.

"Come, this way." She said. Klo looked down at her, realizing that he had stopped walking, lost in his thoughts.

"Sorry." He replied. The old woman continued to walk her way through the crowds, guiding Klo to her home.

The door finally came and they both stepped inside, relieved to be away from the people and the heat.


End file.
